Letters to the editor

Jan 16, 2003

Following are responses to an FCW.com poll question that asked: "Do you favor dividing the Senior Executive Service into a corps of managers and a corps of technical experts?"

Far too many good technical people are "lost" to management roles in order to increase pay. Many are not good managers though they were excellent technicians. In this age of information technology modernization projects, retention of technical people is of critical importance.

Mark St. Jean Internal Revenue Service

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If the objective is to attract and pay highly qualified technicians, there are other avenues, such as returning to the old supergrades (e.g., GS-16, 17, 18) for such individuals.

The purpose of the SES, to establish a pool of top-level federal executives, should not be compromised. Its original purpose was valid. The service needs to be strengthened.

Name withheld by request

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